VISITORS to Bradgate Park - especially families with children off for half term - are being asked to keep away from the deers as the October deer rut takes place.

The charity which looks after Bradgate Park is asking visitors for their help in caring for the much-loved deer and landscape and to observe the restrictions on dogs in the park.

Peter Tyldesley, director of the Bradgate Park Trust, said: “The rut has started and visitors can now hear the Red stags roaring and Fallow bucks grunting. It is a special time observing the changes in behaviour of the deer, as they become extremely vocal and great sparing battles can erupt between rival males.

“There is good reason for the males’ behaviour and long-awaited anticipation to mate, as the females can come into season for as little as two hours for the whole year. This is why it is absolutely critical that the deer are observed from a distance and left undisturbed.

“This is in part due to the more aggressive behaviour of the male deer. It is one of the most important times of year for the deer herds of Bradgate Park. Disturbance at this crucial time of year could have detrimental effects on the future of the deer herds.”

All visitors, including visiting photographers and families with mobile phones, are asked to help safeguard the future of the deer by following a few basic rules:

• Distance – do not get closer than 30 metres to the deer

• Disturbance - if the deer are lying down it is a good indication they are ruminating; this is part of the deer’s digestion process. Try not to make the deer move as this upsets their digestion

• Pursuit - if the deer start to move away it is because they feel threatened; please do not follow them (or allow children to approach them) as this causes stress similar to being chased

• Surrounding- please do not try to photograph from all sides, this hems the deer in leaving them no room for manoeuvre and resulting in a high level of stress comparable with being chased by a dog

• No feeding of the deer.

Early in 2016, Bradgate Park piloted a successful policy around visitor’s dogs following a spate of incidents of dogs worrying the deer herds.

Visitors have been required to keep their dogs on a lead in the lower 25 per cent of the publicly accessible land, below the historic middle wall that crosses the park. This included establishing a seasonal Public Space Protection Order around the dogs-on-lead-zone, where fines could be issued for not following the guidance.